January 14, 2024
Key posts
12.42am‘I know you were cheering for her’: Sabalenka 12.36amWatch: Djokovic battles it out with Prizmic12.35amSabalenka wins through to second round12.06amSabalenka wins first set in 22 minutes12.00amDjokovic survives scare as young contender announces himself on big stage11.51pmSabalenka opens title defence….at midnight11.29pm‘I’m double his age’: Djokovic praises Prizmic11.17pmDjokovic wins in four sets
Pinned post from yesterday 9.14am
Day one highlights
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12.57am
That’s all for tonight
What a brilliant start to the Australian Open on a new starting day of Sunday.
We had a big crowd, just over 58,000 and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic was pushed to a four-hour, four-set match with teenage sensation Dino Prizmic.
As John McEnroe said during commentary, “At 7pm, half the fans didn’t even know his first name”. Now he is the talk of the tennis world.
Thanks so much for joining us today. We will have much more coverage overnight and tomorrow when our day two live blog kicks off in the morning.
Australia’s Alex de Minaur is up tomorrow night so make sure you have your schedule clear for his match.
Please have a lovely evening and bye for now.
12.42am
‘I know you were cheering for her’: Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka made a point of thanking the fans who remained to watch her beat first-time qualifier Ella Seidel 6-0, 6-1 in the early hours of Monday morning.
The reigning women’s champion was gracious and playful despite the 10,000 or so fans who remained to watch her match, played just before midnight after Novak Djokovic’s four set win, were cheering for Seidel and trying to will her to the most unlikely or comebacks.
Aryna Sabalenka.Credit: Getty Images
“It feels so good to be back,” Sabalenka said post match.
“I know you were cheering for her but thanks so much for staying back late. It’s really important to us.”
“They were cheering for you too,” replied Jelena Dokic.
Sabalenka added she still had lots of goals to tick off in tennis despite winning last year’s Australian Open and she wanted to win another win this year.
“I have missed you all so much so hopefully I can stay here until the very, very last day,” Sabalenka said.
12.36am
Watch: Djokovic battles it out with Prizmic
The highlights of Djokovic v Prizmic.
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12.35am
Sabalenka wins through to second round
Aryna Sabalenka is through to the second round after winning her opening match in a late night clash at Rod Laver Arena.
Sabalenka won 6-0, 6-1 in just 53 minutes after being forced to wait for Novak Djokovic to win his longer than expected clash with Dino Prizmic beforehand.
Aryna Sabalenka.Credit: Getty Images
Sabalenka thought she had won the game a few shots earlier when a long return of Seidel’s looked to have sailed out but Sabalenka returned it and play continued with the No. 2 seed losing the point.
Seibel went on to win the game and avoid losing both sets to love.
12.26am
Seidel briefly leads, Sabalenka fires back
Seidel briefly won consecutive points in the last game and the crowd was screaming for her as they love an underdog in the early rounds.
But then Sabalenka put her foot down again with a couple of powerful winners finishing with an ace.
Seidel is now serving to keep the game alive at 0-6, 0-5 down.
Ella Seidel.Credit: AP
12.18am
‘Let’s go Ella’: Fans try to lift Seibel
The local fans clearly don’t want to go home as they tried to lift Seidel in the last game with a few cries of “Let’s go Ella”.
Sadly, at game point it didn’t help with Sabalenka’s shot forcing the German into chopping it out of court.
Sabalenka is up 3-0 in the second set with Seidel serving.
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12.15am
Sabalenka still on track for love win
Sabalenka has opening a 2-0 lead to start the second set.
Seibel still has no answers for her power and placement and it’s clear Sabalenka knows it.
She leads 6-0, 2-0 after 32 minutes on court.
Aryna Sabalenka.Credit: Getty Images
12.06am
Sabalenka wins first set in 22 minutes
That was clinical from Sabalenka who was forced to deuce in the last game but was otherwise barely challenged in her 6-0 first set win.
Seibel is trying to compete but she can’t match the power and placement of the reigning champion.
Aryna Sabalenka.Credit: AP
Fans are fast leaving too which is disappointing.
I would estimate the stadium was about half full, maybe slightly under when the players walked out but with each break, more bodies have headed for the doors.
It is after 12.01am on Monday morning after all.
Ella Seidel.Credit: AP
12.00am
Djokovic survives scare as young contender announces himself on big stage
By Marc McGowan
The result was expected, but the journey there was absolutely not.
Novak Djokovic, whose record-breaking 10 Australian Open titles have made him the undisputed king of Melbourne Park, is still in contention for this year’s tournament but not before surviving a hell of a scare.
Novak Djokovic and Dino Prizmic meet at the net after their unexpectedly tight first-round encounter.Credit: Getty Images
The world No.1 briefly misplaced his invincibility cloak before storming home to defeat Croatian prodigy Dino Prizmic – last year’s French Open boys’ champion and half his opponent’s age – 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 and booking his second-round spot.
“He deserved every applause, every credit he got tonight. He’s an amazing player, so mature for his age, and he handled himself on the court incredibly well,” Djokovic said on court afterwards of Prizmic.
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yesterday 11.57pm
Sabalenka powerful on the ground
It seems like Sabalenka has returned to Melbourne Park with the same dominant mindset as last year as she has repeatedly overpowered Seidel with her ground strokes.
Her power forehand to end the third game was a thing of beauty.
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